Moving Forward
by Moonshayde
Summary: Both Sam and Daniel find closure so that they can finally move forward. S9 Ripple Effect. SamDaniel. Implied SamMartouf, DanielJanet. DanielSha're mention. Written for the SD Ficathon


_Disclaimer: Stargate, Stargate SG-1 and all of its characters, titles, names, and back-story are the property of MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions, SciFi Channel, and Showtime/Viacom. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. This story cannot be printed anywhere without the sole permission of the author. Realize this is for entertainment purposes only; no financial gain or profit has been gained from this fiction. This story is not meant to be an infringement on the rights of the above-mentioned establishments_

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Finally, they reached the last one. 

Sam let out a deep breath as she approached the remaining suite. She gave Cameron an appreciative nod as he stopped to open the door for her. Teal'c and Daniel followed behind her before the four of them piled into the now rather crowded room. Inside, she found herself staring at yet another mirror image of herself, along with the doppelgangers of her friends and teammates. The alternate SG-1 abandoned their TV, books, and paperwork to eye them carefully, their faces open, hopeful, and expectant.

"Good news?" the other Daniel asked as he raised his eyebrows.

"Indeed," Teal'c said. "We have come to inform you that you will be departing in a short time."

The members of the alternate SG-1 shot each other unsettled looks, leaving their Cameron to be the one to finally speak. "This isn't some twisted alternate reality April Fool's Joke now?" he asked, sliding off the bed to stand beside the alternate Teal'c. "Because just a few days ago, you told us we were out of luck."

"Change of plans," Daniel said.

"That's why we came by to talk to you," Sam said, sliding into an empty seat at the table across from the alternate Daniel and herself. "We're currently briefing all the various SG teams that have come through the Gate."

"You found a way," her other self said. "Somehow you found a way."

Sam nodded, offering a weak smile to her double. In her reflection, she could see not only the pride but also the twinge of jealousy, her mind working out the kinks over why she hadn't figured it out herself. If Sam had been in her place, she knew that she would feel the same.

But where she couldn't offer herself any kind of comfort, Daniel did. The alternate Daniel remained close to her side, settling a free hand on the other Sam's forearm as he quietly sipped his coffee.

Sam shifted in her seat, feeling a little uncomfortable with their intimacy, but pushed it aside. Daniel – her Daniel – came to her side and pulled an extra chair to the table, settling in with a coffee cup of his own. Teal'c and Cameron remained cemented in their spots behind them.

She blinked, caught in the surreal moment. She felt as if she were looking a mirror, eyeing her friends as if they were just a reflection. But when the alternate Cameron not-so-subtly cleared his throat, she shook her head, snapping herself out of her daze.

"I can't take the credit," Sam said. Nor did she want to, recalling just how desperate the SG-1 must have been to try something so selfish. "We discovered that the first team that came through the Gate actually orchestrated the rift in space and time themselves."

The other Sam frowned, leaning over the table, nearly falling into the other Daniel in her excitement. "You're saying that the superfluous energy signature that accompanied the surge in the matter stream from that first wormhole—"

"Exactly. When the first team caused the wormhole to jump Gates, there wasn't a supernova or gamma radiation coinciding with the energy stream. They deliberately caused the space-time rupture. All we have to do now is fire the directed energy weapon through the Gate—"

"To reverse the convergence and allow the stranded teams to return through their own matter stream," the other Sam said.

Sam nodded.

"So…we're going home?" the other Cameron asked.

"Going home," Cameron said with a clap of his hands.

The alternate SG-1 sighed with relief. Sam watched them and found herself filled with the same relief. As much fun as it had been to have a running discourse with so many variations of herself, Sam would be glad when they were all home.

The other Sam smiled, plucking the coffee cup out of the hands of the other Daniel. She sipped it before handing it back to him. Sam stared at them for a moment before eyeing her Daniel. When she reached over to grab his cup, he scooted the cup away from her, refusing to look at her as his confused and thoughtful gaze never broke from the alternate SG-1.

She heard her Cameron cough behind her.

"Well, we want to thank you for your hospitality and understanding while we've been marooned here," the other Daniel said, effectively breaking the odd silence that had settled in the room.

"You have been most kind during our stay here," the alternate Teal'c added.

"Anything for…us," Cameron said with a chuckle. He gave the alternate SG-1 team a once over as he smiled. "In fact, you're the closest to ourselves that we've encountered yet. You'd never know there was a difference."

The other Teal'c smiled a knowing smile, giving Sam that uncomfortable feeling again. But before she could deflect it, she heard a rapping at the door. Harriman stood in the hallway, clipboard in hand.

"Colonel?" he asked. "General Landry says the Gate is prepped. The alternate teams just need to be cleared by Doctor Lam and they can be on their way."

Sam nodded. "Thank you."

The alternate Cameron and Teal'c headed toward the exit, followed by the other Sam and Daniel. Sam rose to wish them luck as they departed. They wished them the best in return. Then, as they moved toward the exit, Sam saw something that made her stomach flop. The alternate Daniel slipped his arm around the other Sam's waist, pulling her close, before sliding his thumb under her jacket to stroke the small of her back. The couple joined the rest of their team, leaving SG-1 to stare after the alternate SG-1 as they were escorted down the hall.

Sam could feel her face flush at the obvious show of indiscretion that the other Daniel had thrown at them.

"Damn," Cameron said, turning to Sam. "Just when I thought…Is there anyone in any reality you haven't slept with?"

She smiled sweetly at him. "Yeah. You."

When Cameron opened his mouth but said nothing, Daniel flashed a mischievous grin and muttered into his coffee cup, "You had that one coming."

"Indeed."

Cameron frowned. "What? Is this beat on Cameron day?"

"Is that not everyday, Colonel Mitchell?" Teal'c asked with a smile.

Cameron glared at him. "Well, screw this. I'm going to go and find me a reality where we're doing it before they all leave."

"As you have had little success in the past, I find this unlikely," Teal'c called after him.

Cameron just waved him away before he disappeared down the corridor. Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c had a good chuckle as they watched him go. They had to agree that Cameron was coming along just fine, but it didn't mean they couldn't have any fun with him in the meantime.

"I imagine that he's gone to the infirmary to harass the SG teams as we speak," Daniel said.

Sam laughed. "That's something we need on tape."

"I have already considered that possibility." A sly smile crept across Teal'c's face. "I must take my leave of you." He arched his eyebrow as he studied them for a moment. "I shall provide you with my results."

Teal'c quickly strode to the door, leaving Sam and Daniel alone in the suite. Finally, Sam sighed and fell back into the chair.

"I feel guilty," she said. "We probably shouldn't tease him like that."

"Mitchell's a good sport. Besides, he likes the attention." Daniel paused, his brow knotting in thought as he stopped to study her. "What do you suppose that little display was about?" he asked, motioning toward the door.

Sam fell silent, refusing to look him in the eyes. Instead, she found her gaze settling on Daniel's cooling coffee mug.

"Hey," Daniel said, sitting down beside her. "What's wrong?"

"Seeing Martouf…" She shook her head. "It brought back a lot of—"

"I know," he said quietly. "Janet—"

And he didn't say anything else.

Sam knew what he had felt for Janet. Sam knew that one of the teams that came through had a Daniel that had saved Sha're. Sam knew that Daniel felt the pain she was feeling.

It had been so good to see Martouf, so good to touch him again. But she was not only a different Sam than his, but she was a different woman. Even if she had given into that lost wish, she knew that nothing would come out of it. Not now. Not when she had moved on.

"Don't feel guilty," Daniel said quietly.

She straightening, knowing just by the tone of his voice he wasn't referring to Cameron. Silently, she reached for the coffee cup, not surprised when Daniel didn't take it from her this time. She held it for the longest time, soaking in the last vestiges of the mug's warmth, taking comfort in Daniel's hand as he moved to squeeze her arm. After taking a long swallow, she slid the mug back to him and rose. It had been a strange time at the SGC, and she knew it was going to take some time to readjust from the craziness.

Sam also knew that they were strong. They would move on.

"I think that show was for Cameron," Sam said, waiting for Daniel to stand so they could leave together.

Daniel nodded. "That would make sense."

"We probably shouldn't tell him."

"Nope." Daniel flashed her a mischievous grin. "It's too bad that he doesn't know how right he was about how similar our teams were."

Sam grinned, allowing for Daniel to slip his arm around her waist and chase away her remaining anxiety. His hold lingered for only a few seconds; they started down the hall side by side to join the rest of their team. But the brevity didn't matter to Sam. There was a time and place for everything. And now – now that they had both found some closure in the form of long lost friends – they could finally move forward together.


End file.
